Incarcerated rapper YNW Melly is accused of plotting a jailbreak as his frequently delayed trial for a double murder nears.
In a court hearing, a Florida Sheriff’s Office claimed the rapper’s attorney assisted in the alleged plot to escape prison.
The 23-year-old rapper was arrested in February 2019 for allegedly killing his two best friends, YNW Sakchaser and YNW Juvy.
Authorities claim that the Murder on my Mind rapper staged a drive-by-shooting after shooting his friends at close range.
Melly, whose real name is Jamell Demons, has pled not guilty to the charges and facing life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted.
YNW Melly’s mother has spoken out as authorities detail Melly’s wild alleged plot to escape prison.
Informant topped authorities on YNW Melly’s alleged jailbreak plot
According to the Broward County Sheriff’s General Counsel’s Office, Melly collaborated with a fellow inmate and one of his attorneys in an elaborate plot.
“On April 11, 2022, Broward Sheriff’s Office received a confidential tip regarding inmates Nicholas Lewis and Jamell Demons, both housed in the same unit at the Main Jail, planning an escape from jail by having Demons’ attorney bring in two handcuff keys to aid in the escape. Additional information provided by the source was that Lewis had a shank and drugs,” the statement obtained by Complex reads.
Jail authorities say they searched Lewis’ cell after a tip came from another inmate. Several items were found in the cell of Nicolas Lewis, including a six-inch shank, two razor blades, two lighters, and rolling papers, according to the report.
Lewis also had the medication, Seroquel and Klonopin without a prescription. Nothing illegal was found in YNW Melly’s cell after it was searched and the Broward Sheriff’s Office does not cite any tangible evidence against the rapper.
“The confidential source gave us two pieces of information. One of them [about the shank and drugs] turned out to be a hundred percent true,” explained Christian Tsoubanos, Assistant General Counsel for the Broward Sheriff’s Office, in court on Tuesday, continuing:
“And when they did the search of Demons’ cell, they did not find the handcuff key, but it could have been that there was not an opportunity to bring it into the facility yet.”
In August, Melly’s attorneys filed a motion in court for the rapper to be granted leave from jail in order to get dental care for an infection related to his permanent diamond grill. However, the request was denied.
He previously attempted to get a release on bond after contracting COVID-19 in 2020 but was also turned down.
The Florida rapper has been active on social media and released music last year despite his incarceration.
He recently paid tribute to PnB Rock who was robbed and killed last month.
YNW Melly’s mother speaks out in a video after jailbreak accusations
The rapper’s mother, Jamie King, has accused the Broward Sheriff’s Office of using “another tactic” to tarnish her son’s character.
She released a video from work alleging that “they do not want him having attorney visits in person which will cause for ineffective counsel.”
In addition, Melly’s mother said the authorities “took his phone calls, and they had him on lockdown.”
She cited the lack of evidence in the jailbreak plot against her son alleging that it is a tactic to affect jury selection for the upcoming trial.